if these defense bills become law, then national defense is exempt from president obama's shutdown orders. unfortunately, there is an unhappy ending to the house's bipartisan support for national defense. democrat senate jord leader harry reid needlessly obstructs votes on both bills, thus causing them to languish three and four months in the united states senate. senate intransigence means the department of defense is part of president obama's shutdown orders and 400,000 defense orders, as of today, barred from helping our war fighters who risk their lives for america both here and abroad. each day, these 400,000 defense workers do not work is another day america's war fighters are without their help, is another delay that denies our war fighters the cutting edge and high-tech weaponry needed to defeat america's enemies with the minimal loss of life. mr. speaker, democrat senator harry reid should stop his obstructionism and allow a vote, just a vote, on the defense bills that have passed the house of representatives with bipartisan support. if he does, both bills will pass and become la